Not every competent professional or confident learner has developed their skill set from training in a classroom or formalized training. Informal Learning is sometimes referred to as “learning by doing,” as it encompasses all the interactions, observational experiences, and tasks (i.e., practice) experienced by professionals throughout their workday. It is an essential part of the overall development of corporate and educational professionals who are able to adapt to changing environments.
Informal Learning is the learning that happens spontaneously and without structure. Informal learning in businesses takes place when employees share information, ask colleagues for advice, and work together on real projects to resolve issues collaboratively. Informal learning occurs in schools through the group’s collaboration on assignments, interactions among peers in class, and exposure to the real world.
The traditional approach to imparting knowledge through lectures does not provide people with enough preparation for the competitive and rapidly changing business environment. Businesses and Educational Institutions alike are better capable of providing learners with the opportunity to gain valuable experience and apply that experience to the challenges of the workplace.
The purpose of this blog post is to discuss the various ways Corporations and Educational Institutions can cultivate the practice of informal learning, and to illustrate why Informal Learning is essential to a learner’s development and how Technology is supporting that process.
Why Informal Learning Is Becoming Popular?
Formal education can help develop a strong knowledge foundation for employees. At the same time, informal learning offers a practical perspective to apply what has been taught. As a result, many employees/students feel that learning methods should be flexible, relevant to their job role, and immediately applicable in the workplace.
Key benefits of the popularity of informal learning are:
- Increased speed of skill development.
- Increased employee engagement is typically seen in formal training settings.
- Individualised approaches for employees to learn at their own pace.
- Problem-solving in real-time.
Research supports the fact that nearly 70% of workplace learning occurs through informal means. As a result, experience-based learning has become the most widely used form of learning today.
Why Informal Learning Matters?
Real-life experiences through informal education work better than through formal education when it comes to helping develop skills that can be used in the workforce. Informal learning also provides the learner with the self-confidence to apply knowledge to practical situations rather than relying solely on textbook learning.
There are several reasons informal learning is valuable:
- Continuous Learning
- Improved Problem-Solving Skills
- Increased Innovation and Creativity
- Improve Adaptability and Resiliency
By integrating informal learning into formal learning environments, companies are developing a well-rounded approach to employee development.
Understanding Informal Learning:
Curiosity about the world, combined with the need to gain knowledge, drives informal learning. There is no established curriculum or method to assess progress when you are learning informally.
Here are some usual forms of informal learning:
- Acquiring knowledge from co-workers.
- Seeing how jobs are completed.
- Joining conversations about a specific subject.
- Learning what works and what does not through practice.
Becoming experienced by using these methods leads to a greater depth of comprehension as well as concrete skills that can help with job performance.
Formal vs Informal Learning:
An organization’s ability to design effective Learning & Development strategies can be enhanced by understanding the difference between Formal Learning and Informal Learning. Formal Learning consists of providing learners with pre-determined content systematically delivered to them. On the other hand, Informal Learning focuses on applying the information learned through real-world experiences.
Formal Learning provides learners with the “Theory” behind the information that has been taught. However, Informal Learning allows learners to put what they have learned into practice. Organizations need both types of learning to support the development of learners.
Informal Education Benefits:
There are more benefits to informal training than just developing one’s skills. Informal training promotes teamwork, stimulates independent thought, and increases learners’ self-esteem.
When participating in informal training, participants can:
- Pace their own Learning
- Observe and Learn from the Real World
- Build More Solid Relationships with Peers
- Retain More Knowledge Over Time
Encouraging Informal Learning in Corporates:
An informal learning culture can only succeed when employees are willing to ask questions and share ideas in an open environment. A company that creates a culture of collaborative and continuous improvement is a company that will promote this type of informal learning.
Informal learning may include mentoring, team meetings/discussions, knowledge sharing, and experiential learning through day-to-day job performance. These activities inherently foster an opportunity for workplace knowledge sharing and experiential learning.
How Educational Institutes Can Promote Informal Learning?
Informal learning can take place in educational institutions outside of a classroom.
Some Ways to Support Informal Learning:
- Collaborative Activities and Group Projects
- Work Experience and Internships
- Student Increased Responsibility (Faculty Supervision for Student-Run Workshops and Discussions)
- School Clubs/Clubs and Innovation Labs
These methods can be combined with other methods to increase engagement and create an opportunity for a more hands-on learning experience.
Role of LMS Learning Management System:
An Advanced LMS (Learning Management System) can facilitate and support Informal Learning by providing:
- Discussion forums & chat features
- Content Sharing & Micro Learning modules
- Access to Learning Materials Anytime
- Activity Tracking without Rigid Assessments
A well-designed Learning Management Platform helps create a bridge between Structured Education and Informal Learning.
Conclusion:
Learning delivers the greatest impact when it happens alongside real work and real experiences. Informal learning encourages employees and students to collaborate, solve problems, and apply knowledge in practical situations, resulting in stronger skills, higher engagement, and better long-term retention. For organizations and educational institutions, this approach creates learners who are more confident, adaptable, and prepared to meet evolving demands.
To make informal learning effective, the right digital platform is essential. Vidyalaya LMS Software enables organizations and institutes to support collaboration, knowledge sharing, and flexible learning while maintaining visibility into learning activities. Contact us for a free demo and see how Vidyalaya LMS can transform the way your people learn.
